John Van Zandt (frequently spelled Vanzandt in court documents) gave nine slaves who had crossed the Ohio River from Boone County, Kentucky a ride in his wagon to his Ohio farm where he set them free. One of the slaves, owned by Wharton Jones, continued to work for Van Zandt. Both Van Zandt and Andrew (the slave) were caught by slavehunters and returned to Kentucky. Van Zandt was released, but later charged with harboring and concealing slaves in violation of the Fugitive Slave Act of 1793. In both the lower and appellate court, where he was represented by Ohio attorney and Liberty Party organizer Salmon P. Chase, Van Zandt lost and he appealed his case to the Supreme Court.

New York Whig and anti-slavery attorney William Seward joined the case. This was the first time Chase and Seward met. They would later serve together as Secretary of State and Secretary of the Treasury under Abraham Lincoln. The Supreme Court under Chief Justice Roger B. Taney found the Fugitive Slave Law to be constitutional.